Portable power cane and juice mill



June 3, 1941. J. MOSS PORTABLE POWER CANE AND JUICE MILL 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 13, 1939 1n venior [waif/V055,

A iiomeys June3, 1941. L. J. MOSS 2,244,209

PORTABLE POWER CANE AND JUICE MILL Filed May 13, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor g g [672232177052 A iiomeys Patented June 3, 1941 STATES PTE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to what may be termed a portable power cane and juice mill, the invention consisting in the provision of a machine adapted to be connected to a tractor or other draft device for use as a trailer and equipped for extracting sugar cane juice from raw sugar cane.

Among the objects of the invention is the rendering it possible to extract sugar cane juice'from sugar cane in the field and where the sugar cane has been planted.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the juice mill or extractor with the wheel on the near side removed and the axle shown in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device.

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views taken substantially n the lines 33 and 4--4, respectively, of Figure 1.

l are a pair of opposed standards 8-8 connected at their upper ends by a top plate 9,

Journaled between the standards 8 are upper and lower crushing and extracting rollers I0 and l l adapted to receive the sugar cane stalks therebetween for crushing said stalks and forcing the sugar cane juice from said stalks.

At one end thereof the rollers I0 and H are provided with intermeshing gears l2-l2 and the shaft of the roller ID has ane end thereof extended beyond a standard 8 as at l3.

To receive the juice extracted from the stalks as the sugar cane stalks pass between and are crushed by the rollers l0 and l I, there is suitably mounted on the chassis 5 beneath the rollers l0 and I l a juice-receiving trough or tank l4.

For storing the juice accumulating in the trough or tank hi there is also suitably mounted on the chassis frame 5 adjacent the rear end thereof a relatively large storage tank l5.

For pumping the juice from the receiving tank or trough M to the storage tank l5 there is suitably mounted on the chassis a pump I 6 which has the inlet side thereof connected with the receiving tank or trough Mthrough the medium of conduit pipes I! and Hi. The outlet side of the pump it is connected with the top of the storage tank l5 through the medium of a conduit pipe l9. As unll be seen the pipe ll connects with the bottom of the storage tank i5 through means of a valve 35 while the pipe l8 leads from the bottom of the tank 14 to the pipe 8'! and contains a valve 35. Thus by closing the valve 35' and opening the valve 36 the pump will pump the juice from the tank M to the tank l5. By

closing the valve 36 and opening the valve 36' and connecting the outlet of the pump it by the pipe IS with a stationary storage tank the juice can be pumped from the storage tank l5 of the invention to this main storage tank. Of course, if the pipe I9 is used it must be disconnected from the tank l5 and connected to the main storage tank or another pipe may be used instead of' the pipe l9 and in this latter case the pipe l9 must be disconnected from the outlet of the pipe and this other pipe substituted for it.

Also access may be had to the interior of the tank l5 through a suitable manhole provided in the top of said tank, and for said manhole there is provided a cover or lid 26 as shown.

To facilitate the feeding of the sugarcane stalks to the crushing and extracting rollers I8 and I I there is mounted at one side of the rollers and suitably positioned relative thereto a laterally extending table 2! that is braced relative to the chassis frame through the medium of brace bars 22.

The table 2! consists of a suitable frame that gradually tapers from the outer end thereof to the end thereof approaching the rollers I0 and II, and the sides of the frame are connected by spaced slats 23 between which are accommodated transverse rollers 24.

To receive the crushed and broken stalks as they pass from between the rollers I9 and II there is also mounted at the side of the rollers opposite to the table 2| a relatively short laterally extending table that is substantially coplanar with the table 2| and is mounted in position through the medium of brackets 26.

The table 25, as shown, is provided adjacent the outer end thereof with a transverse slot in which is journaled a roller 25' to facilitate the movement of the crushed cane stalks thereover, it being obvious that the stalks feeding from between the rollers will cause the previously fed stalks on the table 25 to be pushed therefrom to fall in a pile on the ground at one side of the device.

The chassis frame 5 at the forward end of the device is provided with a hitch 21 through the medium of which the mill or extractor is coupled to the rear end of a tractor or other suitable draft vehicle.

Also, in accordance with the present invention, it is intended to have the device coupled to a tractor or the like provided with a power takeoff shaft a portion of which is shown in the drawings and indicated by the reference numeral 28. For supporting an end of the shaft 28 on the chassis 5 there are provided for said shaft bearings 29, these bearings being mounted on suitable cross-bars 30 as clearly shown in Figure 2.

Drive from the power take-off shaft 23 is transmitted to the shaft of the pump I6 through the medium of belt and pulley drive means 3| as best shown in Figure 2.

Interposed in the shaft 28 at one side of the belt and pulley drive means 3| is a slip clutch 32 so as to prevent injury either to the power take-off shaft 28 or the shaft of the pump I6 as might otherwise result in the event something defective developed either with respect to the shaft 28 or the pump l5 and its shaft.

Also drive from the power take-off shaft 28 is transmitted to the uppermost roller l0 through the medium of a chain and sprocket drive connection 33. The chain and sprocket drive connection 33 is connected with the power take-off shaft 28 through the medium of a suitable clutch 34 and for controlling the clutch 34 from his position on the tractor or other draft vehicle by the operator of the latter there is provided an operating chain or the like 35 that at one end is suitably connected with the shiftable element of the clutch 34 and extends forwardly to terminate on the tractor at a position convenient to the operator thereof.

Obviously, drive from the roller I0 is transmitted to the roller through the medium of the gearing |2-|2. It will also be seen that by properly manipulating the clutch 34 drive from the shaft 28 to the rollers may be interrupted or resumed at the will of the operator.

In use the device is drawn over the field behind a tractor or other suitable draft device and the cane stalks are placed on the table 2| to be fed to the rollers l0 and II. Passing between the rollers Ill and H the stalks are crushed and the juice forced therefrom to drop into the tank M, the crushed stalks passing from between the rollers onto the table 25 to ultimately be deposited on the ground at one side of the tractor. From the tank l4 the juice is pumped to the tank l5 for storage purposes. Thus it will be seen that the extracting of the juice from the cane stalks can be readily and easily accomplished at the place where the stalks grow.

Also, and as clearly shown, there is disposed over the open top of the tank M a filtering screen or the like 38 through which the juice filters into the tank M. The screen 38 also serves to prevent any dust or other foreign matter gaining access to the tank 14. By having the frame of the device supported by a single pair of wheels the device can be readily turned at each end of a cane row and the table 2| should be at such a height that a man can easily place the stalks of cane thereon and the tank |4 should be high enough from the ground so as to not strike and thus injure the stubble cane which is allowed to grow the next season, thereby saving the expense of replanting. The capacity of the tank l5 should be such as to permit the device to make one round in a cane field so that the tank |5 can be emptied into a main storage tank at the starting point.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility and advantages of an invention of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

Means for extracting juice from cane in the field in which the cane is grown comprising a frame, a pair of wheels supporting the frame, upper and lower crushing rollers rotatably supported in the frame and extending longitudinally of the frame, a table for feeding cane to the rollers extending transversely of the frame and projecting from one side thereof, said table having its bottom formed of transversely extending slats with rollers between the slats, a second transversely arranged table for receiving the crushed stalks from the crushing rollers. said second table being transversely arranged and projecting from the opposite side of the frame and provided with a transverse slot adjacent its outer end, a roller journaled in the slot, a receiving tank located below the lower crushing roller for receiving the juice dropping therefrom, a screen covering the top of the tank, a storage tank on the frame, a pump, a pipe leading from the inlet of the pump to the receiving tank, a pipe leading from the outlet of the pump to the top of the storage tank and means for rotating the crushing rollers and actuating the pump.

LENIS JOSEPH MOSS. 

